Chapter Summaries

Wu Heng welcomed Kadyrov and his research team, reviewed progress on weapons and printing equipment, and received blueprints for an Electromagnetic Cannon. After leveling up to 19 and returning to the Zombie World, he learned that someone from the Association Headquarters had arrived and was asking for him.

• Wu Heng questioned Kadyrov about his six-person team's Electromagnetic Cannon research and learned their railgun could fire in tests but was impractical without extensive equipment and power.
• Wu Heng asked Qi Hancai to assign the researchers temporary work, requested that the Skeleton Armies watch for ships near Binhai City, and heard Gao Rong report that rifle machinery and a newspaper Printing Press were nearing testing.
• Wu Heng collected the Electromagnetic Cannon blueprints from the Data Room and told Qi Hancai he had prepared a tamed beast for Li Yahong.
• Wu Heng leveled up to level 19 while waiting for Xiaoxiao, then returned with Xiaoxiao, Granda, and Beni through a Portal to the Zombie World.
• Minnie told Wu Heng that Shiraque's steward had sent word that someone from the Association Headquarters had arrived and wanted him to come over.

Wu Heng learned that Virgil had come to invite him to join the Grand Text Society, while a letter warned that Moffat and Luan might resort to underhanded methods. Wu Heng agreed the society could benefit him and met Virgil, who offered to guide his development toward level 18.

• Virgil examined Treasure Island's newspapers and asked Shiraque whether Wu Heng had connections beyond Imilo.
• Wu Heng visited the Association, where Shiraque told him Virgil was a Divination School mage inviting him to join the Grand Text Society.
• Wu Heng read Moya's letter saying Imilo had challenged Moffat, who declined, and warning that Moffat and Luan might seek revenge secretly.
• Wu Heng decided to accept the Grand Text Society's invitation after Shiraque explained its benefits.
• Virgil met Wu Heng and said that a mentor could help him progress more smoothly and perhaps reach level 18 within three years.

Wu Heng joined the Grand Text Society after Virgil invited him, then hosted Virgil and his attendants for dinner. Back at the manor, he warned Minnie to stay cautious around Luan and his master, and asked Granda whether more newspaper stories would improve his reputation.

• Wu Heng declined Virgil's offer to become his disciple but agreed to join the Grand Text Society and signed its membership agreement.
• Virgil asked Wu Heng about the streetlights, newspapers, serialized stories, and Beni, then joined him and Shiraque for dinner.
• Wu Heng told Minnie that Executive Imilo had challenged Luan's master, who refused by claiming to be unwell.
• Wu Heng relayed Moya's warning about possible schemes from Luan and his master and told Minnie to take skeletons with her when she went out.
• Wu Heng asked Granda whether publishing more Great Detective Story episodes would raise his reputation, and Granda said it probably would not.

Wu Heng arranged to publish the first volume of Great Detective and struggled to read the Russian Electromagnetic Cannon blueprints. After helping Beni reach level 13, he returned to Treasure Island and used a Russian dictionary and beginner's guide to begin studying the language.

• Wu Heng agreed with Granda to publish Great Detective as a book and take a photo for its cover, but he could not understand the Russian blueprints he had collected.
• Virgil departed Treasure Island after discussing a possible streetlight project for his family's territory with Wu Heng.
• In the Zombie World, Wu Heng led a battle against Zombies, and Beni absorbed Residual Souls until she reached level 13 and unlocked Telekinetic Push.
• Wu Heng returned to Treasure Island with Russian study books, tore them into pages, and split into Six Bodies to study them.

Wu Heng learned enough Russian to understand the Electromagnetic Cannon blueprint, though he found its materials impossible to obtain, and he asked Shanala to help arrange newspaper distribution and a Commodity Exhibition. The seventh issue revealed the murderer in Wu Heng’s detective story as Hope Jefferson, the coachman.

• Wu Heng split into six clones to study Russian, then read the Electromagnetic Cannon blueprint and realized its materials and components could not be replicated.
• In the Zombie World, Wu Heng discussed the Russian survivors and Bai Qing’s campaign with Qi Hancai before returning to Treasure Island.
• Wu Heng posed for a detective-novel cover photo and later asked Shanala to help establish Newspaper Offices and organize a Commodity Exhibition.
• Shanala agreed to help with the exhibition and suggested that Wu Heng discuss newspaper distribution with the Association.
• The seventh issue of the newspaper announced that Steward Imilo had challenged Master Luan, invited Wu Heng to join the Grand Text Society, and revealed the detective-story murderer.
• At Golden Sail Tavern, Saban read the story’s ending aloud, revealing that Wu Heng had arrested the coachman, Hope Jefferson, for killing the two victims.

Wu Heng's detective story revealed the coachman Hou Bo as the killer, while its ending stirred discussion across Treasure Island. Shanala rallied merchant caravans to join a Commodity Exhibition, and Wu Heng began assembling an Electromagnetic Cannon inside his Mansion Spell.

• Saban revealed that the coachman, Hou Bo, had killed Trebor and the other victim to avenge Lucy, whose family had been destroyed by the sect.
• The story's ending spread across the island as readers debated Hou Bo's motive, and Philippa collected bets from people who had guessed the killer.
• A Princess and her maid bought an early signed copy of the detective story while searching Treasure Island for someone the Princess had met outside it.
• Shi Yali lamented losing her allowance over the killer's identity, and Shiraque explained that Wu Heng's stories appealed because they portrayed ordinary people as heroes.
• Shanala invited merchant caravans to join a Commodity Exhibition and persuaded them by citing Wu Heng's new standing in the Grand Text Society.
• Wu Heng used his Mansion Spell to assemble components from the Electromagnetic Cannon blueprints, then stopped to recover his Mental Power as three ghosts returned.

Wu Heng oversaw the rising sales of his detective novel, arranged preparations for a commodity exhibition, and continued building the Electromagnetic Cannon. In the Zombie World, Qi Hancai reported that survivors had ambushed Bai Qing’s convoy near the port before fleeing by sea.

• Granda told Wu Heng that demand for the detective book was high, and he approved increasing printing while she continued revising the manuscript.
• Andeviel reported that merchant caravans had ordered fifty thousand copies, while Shanala said the caravans would apply to participate in the Commodity Exhibition.
• Wu Heng asked Andeviel to arrange for a Dwarf Designer to help Shanala and the others choose an exhibition venue.
• Wu Heng traveled to the Zombie World, where Beni devoured Residual Souls as the skeletons finished fighting the Zombie Horde.
• Qi Hancai told Wu Heng that survivors had ambushed Bai Qing’s convoy near the port, damaged some trucks, and fled by ship after the Skeleton Squad fought back.

Wu Heng learned that survivors in Binhai City had planted bombs against his convoy, then traveled by train to the port to confront the people who had fled aboard cargo ships. After scouting the ships, he discovered two men arguing about the skeletons occupying the port.

• Wu Heng ordered Qi Hancai to find the train and set out with her after directing the Suit Skeleton to guard the Military Factory.
• On the train, Qi Hancai and Wu Heng heard the attackers accuse Xinfu City over the Central Broadcast Station, and Qi Hancai publicly countered that they had planted explosives.
• At Binhai City Port, Bai Qing told Wu Heng that the attackers had escaped by sea, and Wu Heng sent Qi Hancai to inspect the containers while he dealt with the ships.
• Wu Heng sent Granda to scout the ships and Xiaoxiao and Beni to search the port.
• Granda showed Wu Heng two men aboard a cargo ship, where Big Beard dismissed the danger from the skeletons while the balding man regretted provoking them.

Wu Heng learned that the cargo ship held twenty people and a large stockpile of supplies, then sent Cassius and flying skeletons to seize it. The boarding began with Big Beard killing himself under Wu Heng’s control, while the ship’s captain pleaded for his life and pointed out that the cargo was too much to carry away.

• Granda explored the ship and discovered armed men, four women, and workers operating its machinery.
• Granda told Wu Heng that the ship carried only twenty people and had supplies stored in its lower cabins.
• Xiaoxiao and Beni reported finding many containers filled with cargo.
• Wu Heng summoned Blood Race Skeletons and two Skeleton Flying Dragons, then flew with Cassius toward the ship.
• Big Beard raised his pistol against the skeletons, but Wu Heng controlled him and made him shoot himself.
• The captain surrendered and warned Wu Heng that the ship’s supplies were too extensive to take away by flying.

Wu Heng seized the cargo ship and learned that its leader had arranged for the group to seek refuge at Busan Port. He set course for the port, where its president prepared to receive the ship while abusing a hungry survivor.

• Wu Heng ordered the skeletons to kill the armed people aboard, questioned Captain Qian Chengfeng, and used Talk with Dead to learn that the base leader had arranged to sail to Korea.
• Wu Heng had the six remaining survivors confined, collected the ship's weapons, and ordered Qian Chengfeng to dock at the port.
• A radio operator from Busan Port contacted the ship, and Wu Heng had Qian Chengfeng pretend that Condra was drunk and asleep.
• After the ship docked, Wu Heng handed the survivors to Qi Hancai, ordered a thousand skeletons aboard, and recruited a man who knew some Korean before setting sail for Busan Port.
• At Busan Port, the president learned that a survivor group's leader's wife had arrived and ordered her brought to him; he threw rice on the floor and made her crawl to eat it.

Wu Heng used Condra’s appearance to enter the Busan Port base and meet Guild Master Cui while his ship waited offshore. The chapter ended as Cui reached for a weapon and Wu Heng ordered Cassius to kill him.

• Wu Heng sent Xiaoxiao, Beni, and Granda to investigate Busan Port and learned that the base was crowded, poorly fed, and guarded by armed troops.
• A radio operator invited Condra to dock, so Wu Heng disguised himself as the dead Condra and went ashore with Cassius while Qi Hancai stayed aboard.
• A man in a suit brought Wu Heng to meet Guild Master Cui and said the base treated people deemed useless as potential bait for zombie hordes.
• At the harbor hotel, Guild Master Cui asked about Wu Heng’s ship, then noticed Wu Heng’s changed expression and reached beneath the coffee table.
• Wu Heng ordered Cassius to kill Guild Master Cui.

Wu Heng killed Guild Master Cui and seized control of the port base by eliminating its captains and subduing its soldiers. He sent Qi Hancai and Xin He to announce the takeover while he moved to control the remaining teams.

• Wu Heng killed Guild Master Cui, forced his secretary Liu Minlong to explain the base’s organization, and questioned Cui’s corpse with Talk with Dead.
• Wu Heng had Liu Minlong summon the four team captains and killed each one as they arrived at the hotel.
• Wu Heng went to the port, used the Spine Staff to put the soldiers to sleep, and called Qian Chengfeng, Qi Hancai, and Xin He to bring the ship and skeletons ashore.
• Wu Heng ordered the skeletons to bind the port guards and sent Qi Hancai and Xin He to announce the takeover over the radio.
• Wu Heng led the skeletons toward the remaining teams while a driver watched them pass in terror.

Wu Heng and Qi Hancai took control of Busan Port Base, defeated the Base Army, and secured its supplies. Wu Heng left Qi Hancai in charge, and she began registering survivors and distributing food.

• Qi Hancai's team seized the Port Grand Hotel and broadcast instructions telling survivors to stay indoors while Skeletons moved through the base.
• Wu Heng led the Skeleton Army against the Base Army, defeated the defenders, and sent Blood Race Skeletons to kill nearby Zombies.
• Wu Heng's Skeletons gathered weapons and supplies, raised the dead as Skeletons, and left guards at the wall.
• Qi Hancai told Wu Heng about the prisoners and the warehouse; he stored the firearms and gold, gave her a Protection Pendant, and left her in charge of the base.
• Qi Hancai instructed Xin He to announce survivor registration and food distribution, prompting residents to come out and line up for supplies.

Wu Heng handled island affairs and met Saban, a bard who wanted to adapt the Great Detective stories into stage plays. Saban proposed forming a troupe, but he had not yet recruited anyone.

• Andeviel told Wu Heng that orders for the Great Detective books had exceeded seventy thousand copies, and Minnie said she and Shanala had chosen a venue for the exhibition.
• Wu Heng worried that transformed corpses might lose the skills needed to sail the military vessel, then learned a bard wanted to adapt the stories for the stage.
• Wu Heng met Cavina at the Association, reassured her about Blackstone Town, and offered to help her find a home in the new Residential Area.
• Wu Heng met Saban, who said telling the stories had helped him advance to level 10 and asked to form a Performance Troupe, though he had not yet found its members.

Wu Heng approved Saban’s plan to adapt the first volume of Great Detective Story into a stage play, with conditions to preserve the story and avoid harming Treasure Island. He then discussed a new arcane device with Shiraque and Shi Yali, while Saban gathered bards to recruit them for the production.

• Wu Heng permitted Saban to adapt Great Detective Story into a public stage play, provided it stayed faithful to the story and did not negatively affect Treasure Island or the Island Master's Manor.
• Wu Heng told Shiraque and Shi Yali that Great Detective Story would continue in the newspaper, and teased Shi Yali with the next case, A Royal Scandal.
• Wu Heng asked Shiraque which classes could captain ships or operate arcane machinery, then bet that he could create a sufficiently shocking arcane device.
• Shi Yali joined Wu Heng and Shiraque’s bet, agreeing that the winner could make one request of the others.
• Saban told a gathering of bards at the Golden Sail Tavern that the Island Master had set no conditions beyond keeping the play faithful to the original, and urged them to seize the opportunity for their profession.

Wu Heng recruited two warship soldiers to train skeletons to operate an Incheon-class frigate and continued preparing his base and commodity exhibition. Meanwhile, two visitors traveling to the exhibition discussed Wu Heng, and the old man revealed that he had once lived in Luntam City with his wife.

• Qi Hancai reported that some prisoners had tried to escape and that Qian Chengfeng had died.
• Wu Heng questioned Li Chengxun and Liu Zeyu about the frigate, then ordered them to train twenty skeletons to operate it and its weapons.
• Wu Heng told Qi Hancai to supervise the soldiers and arrange for more people to help train the skeletons.
• Qi Hancai showed Wu Heng the base, where most survivors had been assigned houses but still ate communal meals.
• Shanala showed Wu Heng the exhibition's interior design plans and said nearly all the merchant caravans planned to attend.
• On a cargo ship, two visitors discussed Wu Heng's background, and the old man said he had lived in Luntam City with his wife.

Wu Heng arranged for the newly captured warship to be operated by skeletons and began planning an inland push from Busan Port, while preparations for Treasure Island’s exhibition advanced. The chapter ended with Wu Heng meeting Lady Li in Lopes City to hear the results of his commission.

• Wu Heng inspected the warship with Qi Hancai, learned it carried a 127mm Naval Gun with a 10,000-meter range, and ordered the soldiers to train skeletons to operate and maintain it within three days.
• More than twenty of Wu Heng’s people arrived at Busan Port, and Qi Hancai assigned them rooms and duties; Wu Heng told her to form a Logistics Team and map important locations for an inland advance.
• Wu Heng told Minnie to have the Design Institute install the Lighthouse Street streetlights, and Andeviel returned with Vera before the household ate dinner together.
• Wu Heng ordered Yousef to build a large shipyard at Port Number Two within three days, then traveled by Ghost Train to Lighthouse Street as skeletons installed streetlights and residents celebrated.
• Wu Heng visited the consortium in Lopes City disguised as the Masked Record Fisherman, and Lady Li told him she had results from his previous commission.

Wu Heng bought two mage corpses from Lady Li and discussed ways to extend his lifespan, while she hinted that she suspected he was the Island Master. He returned to Treasure Island and heard locals praise the Island Master and speculate about his personal life.

• Wu Heng paid Lady Li for two mage corpses, including one that belonged to a level 11 Illusion School mage, and stored them in his Spatial Ring.
• Lady Li discussed possible ways to extend a person's life and warned Wu Heng that the Mystic Association tested its members' obedience.
• Lady Li showed Wu Heng a Great Detective novel featuring him and asked whether Island Master Wu Heng could become a hero; Wu Heng replied that he could if he was as impressive as she said.
• Wu Heng returned to Treasure Island and passed a crowd gathered along Lighthouse Street, where residents praised the Island Master and gossiped about his rumored interest in beastkin girls.

Wu Heng raised two mage skeletons and assigned them skill books while streetlights transformed Lighthouse Street into a lively gathering place for performers and crowds. The next morning, three merchant representatives visited Wu Heng, while a tavern story prompted a middle-aged man to ask an elderly man what had happened to his wife.

• Wu Heng raised two mage skeletons, confirmed they had retained no skills, and gave them books to study in a quiet room.
• The new streetlights on Lighthouse Street drew crowds, and bards and other performers began telling stories beneath them.
• Shi Yali and Shiraque discussed the streetlights, while Philippa praised Wu Heng and said she wanted lights installed outside her home.
• Robbie told Wu Heng that three merchant representatives had arrived, and he asked her to bring them to the living room and summon Shanala.
• After the tavern audience heard “Blushing Waitress Beni,” a middle-aged man asked an elderly man what had happened to his wife.

Wu Heng hosted merchant representatives ahead of Treasure Island’s exhibition, introduced fountain pens, and learned more about Granda’s murder by Magnoro. The next morning, the island’s latest newspaper announced the exhibition and a new Great Detective story as crowds gathered to buy it.

• An old man recounted how his wife had changed after a beast attack and died in a basement fire, while a middle-aged man listened before hearing the bard perform a Great Detective story.
• Wu Heng welcomed three merchant representatives, approved their plans to open shops, and demonstrated fountain pens as a potential product for their businesses.
• Shanala joined Wu Heng to discuss the merchants’ exhibition goods and venue arrangements, then more caravans arrived to meet him.
• Granda told Wu Heng that her ex-husband, the bard Magnoro, had tied her to a chair and deliberately set the basement on fire, and Wu Heng promised to help find him after the exhibition.
• Wu Heng decided to publish the newspaper on schedule, and newsboys announced the exhibition and a new Great Detective story as crowds rushed to buy copies.